Lowest Career ERA in MLB History: All-Time Leaders

Career

Includes the 2026 season through August 26, 2026

This board follows the record MLB adopted in 2024, when the statistics of the seven recognised Negro Leagues (1920–1948) became part of the official record. Because a Negro Leagues season ran roughly 69 games to the American and National Leagues’ 149, the career qualification is prorated from 3,000 at-bats to 1,389 for careers played mainly in those leagues, and from 400 plate appearances to 185 for a single Negro Leagues season. The all-time AL & NL board uses the traditional 3,000-at-bat rule and excludes Negro Leagues records.

Ed Walsh holds the all-time MLB career ERA record with a 1.82 ERA, ahead of Addie Joss (1.89) and Jim Devlin (1.90).

Rankings cover the top 100 qualifying players (a minimum of 1,000 career innings pitched).

These rankings combine AL/NL and Negro Leagues statistics (1920–1948), which MLB recognized as major league in 2020 — 4 of the 100 players listed here have Negro Leagues seasons counted in their totals.

Top 10 ERA

Career. Click a bar to view the player.

Rank Player ERA Trend
1 Ed Walsh 1.82
2 Addie Joss 1.89
3 Jim Devlin 1.90
4 Jack Pfiester 2.02
5 Smoky Joe Wood 2.03
6 Mordecai Brown 2.06
7 John Ward 2.10
T-8 Christy Mathewson 2.13
T-8 Al Spalding 2.13
10 Tommy Bond 2.14
11 Rube Waddell 2.16
12 Walter Johnson 2.17
13 Mariano Rivera 2.21
T-14 Orval Overall 2.23
T-14 Jake Weimer 2.23
T-16 Ed Reulbach 2.28
T-16 Babe Ruth 2.28
T-16 Will White 2.28
19 Jim Scott 2.30
20 Reb Russell 2.33
T-21 Andy Coakley 2.35
T-21 Eddie Plank 2.35
23 Larry Corcoran 2.36
T-24 Eddie Cicotte 2.38
T-24 Ed Killian 2.38
T-24 George McQuillan 2.38
T-27 Harry Coveleski 2.39
T-27 Doc White 2.39
T-29 Candy Cummings 2.42
T-29 Carl Lundgren 2.42
T-29 Nap Rucker 2.42
T-32 Joe Benz 2.43
T-32 George Bradley 2.43
T-32 Terry Larkin 2.43
T-32 Jim McCormick 2.43
T-32 Jeff Tesreau 2.43
37 Charles Bender 2.46
T-38 Sam Leever 2.47
T-38 Lefty Leifield 2.47
T-38 Hooks Wiltse 2.47
T-41 Bob Ewing 2.49
T-41 Hippo Vaughn 2.49
T-43 Ray Collins 2.51
T-43 Cy Morgan 2.51
45 Hoyt Wilhelm 2.52
46 Clayton Kershaw 2.53
47 Lew Richie 2.54
T-48 Noodles Hahn 2.55
T-48 Frank Owen 2.55
T-48 George Zettlein 2.55
T-51 Pete Alexander 2.56
T-51 Slim Sallee 2.56
53 Joe Williams NgL 2.57
T-54 Russ Ford 2.59
T-54 Deacon Phillippe 2.59
T-54 Frank Smith 2.59
57 Ed Siever 2.60
T-58 Cherokee Fisher 2.61
T-58 Bob Rhoads 2.61
60 Fred Glade 2.62
T-61 Red Ames 2.63
T-61 Tim Keefe 2.63
T-61 Barney Pelty 2.63
T-61 Vic Willis 2.63
T-61 Cy Young 2.63
T-66 Nick Altrock 2.65
T-66 Claude Hendrix 2.65
T-66 Jack Taylor 2.65
T-69 Jacob deGrom 2.66
T-69 Willie Foster NgL 2.66
T-69 Joe McGinnity 2.66
T-69 Dick Rudolph 2.66
T-69 Pete Schneider 2.66
T-74 Charlie Ferguson 2.67
T-74 Carl Weilman 2.67
T-76 Jack Chesbro 2.68
T-76 Cy Falkenberg 2.68
T-76 Johnny Lush 2.68
T-76 Old Hoss Radbourn 2.68
T-80 Bill Donovan 2.69
T-80 Fred Toney 2.69
T-82 Larry Cheney 2.70
T-82 Vean Gregg 2.70
T-84 Dick McBride 2.71
T-84 Mickey Welch 2.71
86 Ned Garvin 2.72
T-87 Nick Cullop 2.73
T-87 Fred Goldsmith 2.73
T-87 Bob Wicker 2.73
T-90 Harry Howell 2.74
T-90 Juan Padrón NgL 2.74
T-90 Bullet Rogan NgL 2.74
T-93 Howie Camnitz 2.75
T-93 Whitey Ford 2.75
T-93 Roy Patterson 2.75
T-93 Luther Taylor 2.75
T-97 Babe Adams 2.76
T-97 Sandy Koufax 2.76
T-97 Dutch Leonard 2.76
T-97 Dan Quisenberry 2.76

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has the lowest career ERA (a minimum of 1,000 career innings pitched)?
Ed Walsh — a 1.82 ERA, among qualifying players (a minimum of 1,000 career innings pitched). Next are Addie Joss (1.89) and Jim Devlin (1.90).
What was Ed Walsh's career ERA?
Ed Walsh posted a 1.82 ERA — the lowest mark on this leaderboard.
Who else ranks in the top 5 for career ERA?
1. Ed Walsh (1.82); 2. Addie Joss (1.89); 3. Jim Devlin (1.90); 4. Jack Pfiester (2.02); 5. Smoky Joe Wood (2.03).
Do these ERA rankings include the Negro Leagues?
Yes. MLB recognized the Negro Leagues (1920–1948) as major league in 2020, so their statistics are ranked alongside AL/NL records here — 4 of the 100 players listed here have Negro Leagues seasons counted in their totals.